Miniature Egyptian Ptolemaic Steatite Amulet of Baubo

Egypt, Ptolemaic Period, ca. 332 to 30 BCE. An intriguing amulet of a miniature size depicting Baubo, the Greek goddess of humor and protecting the fertility of the land. Hand-carved from dark gray steatite, Baubo presents nude in a crouching pose atop an ovoid plinth as if giving birth with bared breasts, hands placed beneath her womb, and spread legs revealing her exaggerated vulva. Her almond-shaped eyes are centered atop her portly visage, and her wavy coiffure is bound with a petite circle on the verso. A wonderful miniature figure from ancient Egypt! Size: 0.5" W x 0.875" H (1.3 cm x 2.2 cm)

Provenance: ex-Phoenicia Holyland Antiquities, New York, New York, USA, before 2010

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#159025
Condition Report: Minor nicks and abrasions to plinth and figure, otherwise intact and excellent. Great preservation of figural details throughout.